


From the Ashes

by shanachie



Series: Phoenix Rising [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Off-screen death, Spoilers: through aired episodes of Season 4 Warnings: Supernatural doings, confused characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-26
Updated: 2014-07-26
Packaged: 2018-02-10 11:22:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2023248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shanachie/pseuds/shanachie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jordan doesn’t believe in things that go bump in the night, but he’s about to find out there’s a lot more out there than he ever thought possible.</p>
            </blockquote>





	From the Ashes

**Author's Note:**

> After the reveal at the end of 405, I was SO excited because I called Parrish being supernatural about the same time he ENTERED the show. I am THRILLED. And then the teasers started coming out… so I really, REALLY hope I’m (and others) are right about what he is. Meanwhile… this is my headcanon… maybe even if I’m proven wrong. There will most likely be more so I’m already series tagging this.

Jordan gasped, his body jerking as air flowed into his lungs. His arms flailed as he tried to reconnect his mind to events that had transpired. “I’m dead. I… I’m. Why aren’t I dead?”

“Take a deep breath, Corporal,” a voice answered. “Concentrate on breathing for a few minutes, then I’ll try to answer your questions.”

Jordan pried his eyes open, struggling into a sitting position, and looked down his body, noticing that he was only covered with a thin blanket. “I’m. I’m really not dead? And I’m _naked_!”

The man sitting cross-legged across from him winced. “Yeah unfortunately your clothes didn’t survive rebirth. Sorry about that. Once you have a minute to recover a bit, you can get cleaned up and we’ll find you something to wear.”

“Cleaned up? Rebirth? Why am I not dead?” Jordan demanded.

“Okay. Facts of life, kid, since apparently you know nothing. Yes, you’re dead. Or at least as far as the US Military is concerned. But we can work with that. We’ll get you a new ID with your military experience intact, but that’s after you’ve recovered.”

“But. What happened?” Jordan looked at the black ash that streaked his arms and torso.

The man sighed. “Have you ever heard of a phoenix?”

“That’s a myth.”

“So are werewolves.” The man’s features shifted, his eyes turning gold as fangs and more hair sprouted.

“Holy _fuck_ ,” Jordan blurted.

“Well, it’s not the worst reaction I’ve gotten,” the man said. His features shifted back to the more human visage. Reaching down, he located a bottle of water and tossed it at Jordan. “You might want to drink that.”

“Who are you?” Jordan asked, examining the bottle and then cracking the seal.

The man held his hand out. “Andrew Hale.” He waited as Jordan downed half the water bottle. “Feeling any better?”

“A bit, yeah. What happened?”

“You sure you’re ready to hear this?” Andrew asked as he hunted around for something by his side.

“I’m sure I’m not ready to hear it, but I need to,” Jordan answered.

“Good attitude, kid.”

Jordan eyed the man seated across from him. “Why do you keep calling me ‘kid’? You can’t be much older than me.”

“I’m older than I look. Werewolf, remember?” Andrew replied. “But you’re a phoenix.”

“Which means what? Is that why I’m not dead? Because I remember an explosion… Or at least I think I do,” Jordan said softly.

“That’s good. I wasn’t sure how much you’d remember. You’re a phoenix so you’re harder to kill. Well, actually you’re pretty much unkillable. If you die instantaneously, you’ll rebirth.” When Jordan stared at him, Andrew sighed. “You burst into flames.”

“I do _what_?!” Jordan yelped.

Andrew winced at the sharp tone. “In retrospect that was probably not the best way to say it. But on the positive side, you don’t have to worry about dying anytime soon unless someone hits you in a non-vital location and you bleed out slowly.”

“I’m not sure if that’s comforting or not,” Jordan said. “Because apparently in order to do this… I burst into flames?”

“And then rise from the ashes.” Andrew waved at him. “Which explains the lack of clothes and dirty… well you.”

“I… think I want to clean up now.” Jordan swung his feet down, so they were sitting on the floor. He started to shift the blanket before remembering he was naked. “You said something about clothes?”

Andrew nodded. “After you’ve cleaned up, I’m sure you don’t want to put something clean on still all ashy. I can’t offer you a shower, but we’ve got a nice bucket and washcloth combo.” Andrew got to his own feet. “Stay put. I’ll be right back with both the bucket and the clean clothes.”

When Andrew returned a few minutes later, he had a bundle of clothes tucked under his arm and a bucket in the opposite hand. “Hopefully they’ll fit. But they’re temporary anyway. We’ll find you something else once we get you a new ID.” He set the bucket down, before setting the clothes on the cot next to Jordan.

“Can I have some privacy?” Jordan asked when Andrew seemed disinclined to move.

Andrew looked surprised, then choked a little. “Oh. Yeah. Sorry.” He shrugged as he considered it. “Guess I didn’t think about it. It’s not a big deal in my family.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not a werewolf. And I feel like it might be a big deal… although maybe I should get used to it if my clothes aren’t going to survive.”

“It’s something to think about,” Andrew said, “but I’ll leave you alone to clean up.”

Jordan waited until he was sure the werewolf (werewolf, really?!) was out of the room before pulling the blanket off his lap. He was covered from head to foot in black ash. Picking up the washcloth, he began to wipe it away. As he cleaned the ash from his body, he revealed unblemished skin. All of his scars, his marks from a lifetime lived were gone. He prodded at his thigh where he’d once had a four inch scar from trying to hurdle a fence. It was now completely gone.

Perturbed by the lack of marks on his body, Jordan finished cleaning the ash from his body and dropped the washcloth into the dirty water. Picking up the clothes, Andrew had left him; he sorted through them, picking out a t-shirt and jeans from the pile.

He didn’t know how much of the story Andrew had told him was true or how much he believed, but something was different. He wasn’t the same. Besides the ash and the missing scars, he felt better, almost stronger. Whatever was going on, he was just glad he was alive and had time to figure it out. He considered the other’s words as he looked for a pair of shoes.

Andrew poked his head back in, his head ducked until he got a glimpse of Jordan. “Oh, good, you’re dressed.”

“I seem to be missing shoes,” Jordan commented.

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Andrew replied. “I was guessing on the clothes, but shoes just aren’t worth the bother. We’ll get you something when we hit civilization again. Until then, you can wear these.” Andrew handed over a pair of slip-ons. “You’ll just be walking to the Jeep.”

“What’s going to happen to me now?” Jordan asked as he fitted the slipper-like shoes to his feet.

“We’re going to get you a new ID and send you back to the US. You’ll have to decide where you want to go. I wouldn’t stay in one place for too long for the first few months, but you might consider Beacon Hills, California.”

“What about a name?” Jordan asked.

Andrew dug around in the backpack he’d brought in with him, pulling a passport out with him. “Let’s see what your shiny new passport says. We’ll have to get your picture on it, but that shouldn’t be a problem.”

“You just carry around blank passports?” Jordan asked as Andrew flipped it open.

“Yes? No? I have a contact who gets them to me when I say I need one.” Andrew studied it for a minute. “Huh. Well, I guess they figured your first name was safe enough. The new last name is Parrish.” He snorted. “Parrish. Get it.”

“Hi-larious,” Jordon said dryly.

Andrew grinned. “Well, I thought it was funny.” He tossed the passport to the newly named Parrish. “Let’s get you out of here.”

 


End file.
